


The Dragonkind

by sleepismyfriend



Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-26
Updated: 2012-02-26
Packaged: 2017-10-31 18:18:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/347028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepismyfriend/pseuds/sleepismyfriend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Jo returns from the Amazon, the Doctor and Sarah Jane find more than they expected in a UNIT designated forest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dragonkind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lilahkat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilahkat/gifts).



> The prompt was Three & Sarah, happy.

"I don't know why you're fussing." The Doctor led the way through one of UNIT's designated forests, cutting the excessive twigs and leaves in their path with a large sword he'd found in one of the TARDIS cupboards. "It's not like I didn't warn you ahead of time she was planning a visit."

"Yes, well, you might have warned me you two had a thing—" Mindful of where she stepped, Sarah scrunched up her nose. "I would have taken her a little differently."

"You humans." He swatted away an insect, wishing he had not worn his green velvet out in this summer English heat. Though it was quite fetching, it wasn't exactly conducive to optimal temperatures. "So quick to assume a sexual connection between two beings who generally get on."

"You did more than that, didn't you?" Sarah stopped, placing her hands on her hips. "Or else, she wouldn't have asked all those questions. I don't know whether I just sat through a friendly conversation or the Spanish Inquisition."

Sarah resumed walking.

"She was my assistant, Sarah Jane." The Doctor grew frustrated, hacking away at the vegetation with more energy than he wanted to expend. Jo was a touchy topic, yes, but no more than anyone else over the years of travelling throughout time and space he'd had to say goodbye to. Or so he told himself. "Besides, you're hard-headed. I find it unlikely Jo could convert you from your heathen ways."

"Very funny," she said, swatting him once he had stopped moving and she caught up to see what he was staring at. The Doctor had led them through the bush to a large expanse of the forest, where a large winged creature lay curled up as though it was sleeping. Dark royal blue scales covered its entire body from front to back as a long spiked tail curled around its front.

The Doctor moved forward without any hesitation, tossing the sword to the side while Sarah remained back, her hands crossed over her stomach. "Doctor, I may not know much about aliens, but I know that is a dragon. A dangerous creature you read in Tolkien or any other fantasy novel that isn't supposed to exist." 

"You think Tolkien thought of those things on his own?" The Doctor walked up close to the creature, bending down to its level. 

"You must be joking—"

"Never about a good idea. He was quite open to the ways of the universe." As he reached out with his right palm to stroke along the creature's back, its eyes opened, revealing their yellow irises. It shifted, and Sarah could feel the movement under her feet. "Easy there, young fellow. I'm the Doctor. I'm here to help."

His palm held firm in the center of the creature's back as if to reassure it he was one of the good guys. It looked up as if to catch the Doctor's gaze, snorted, and then closed its eyes once more.

"It's alright, Sarah Jane." The Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver from his pocket, running it along the length of the creature before readjusting the settings and scanning once more. "You can come closer, he's not going to harm us."

"Easy for you to say," Sarah mumbled, taking each step begrudgingly. "You're not the one with only one life to spare."

"No, but the TARDIS isn't nearby in case something happens. This creature is hurt and needs our help."

"And you know it's a he?"

As Sarah approached, she could see the details of the creature she had missed from a distance. The way his oblong scales were not just dark royal blue, but a shimmering sort of metallic that natural light seemed to enhance. His head was neither round nor oval, but more of an elongated teardrop shape with a smooth forehead. As Sarah bent down, his eyes opened once more and she could see the yellow irises were speckled with red.

"Well of course. He said so."

"For something that isn't supposed to exist, he is quite beautiful." She looked over at the Doctor, sharing a small smile before he stood and circled the creature. Once he had found what he was looking for, Sarah noticed the creature's snort of pain and slight shift. "Doctor, he's moving. What are you doing back there?"

Human instinct gave in as she reached out and held the creature's face in her hands, knowing some basic comforts in organic beings transcended the universe. The creature calmed as the Doctor came back into Sarah's view.

"The universe has not been very kind to this one, I'm afraid. He's very ill."

"Anything contagious?" Sarah hadn't considered the creature's wellbeing before skin-to-skin contact, a fact she would have to remind herself later if something were to happen.

"Not to humanoids. I've seen things like this before. There's a long laceration on one side, undoubtedly where he was injected with a metabolic destabilizer. Whatever this creature has done, it was sent here to die for it, Sarah Jane. Earth is a level five planet, not a dumping ground."

"The Brigadier will be furious if you don't tell him about this." Sarah could feel the creature's skin cooling under her touch as her hands moved to stroke its forehead. It made a slight murmur, but didn't move.

"I suppose." He held out a hand, which Sarah took as he pulled her to her feet. Sarah's gaze remained on the creature, but the Doctor's was far ahead as he once again found his sword lying to the side. "We need to get back to the TARDIS and contact the Shadow Proclamation for further instructions. "I'm sure by now, Jo has more than worn out her welcome."

At the mention of Jo's name, Sarah's tongue remembered the bitterness she wanted to lash out at the blonde's cloying tone. "I doubt that. They all seemed quite pleased to see her, if you ask me."

"Good thing I wasn't asking you then. C'mon, we've got a bit of a walk back. We need to make sure the Brigadier hasn't found out already and sent a team of men to investigate." With once last glance at the creature, Sarah turned and followed. "Have I ever told you about the time Jo and I landed on Spiradon, Sarah Jane?"

"No. I suppose if I asked you not to tell it, you would anyway, right?"

"If it bothers you that much, yes. Maybe then, you'd be a little less sensitive to Jo's existence and focus more on the thing you both share."

"Which is what, you?" 

"More or less." Sarah saw the Doctor's smirk as he glanced over his shoulder.

"I can hardly wait." Sarah rolled her eyes as he began telling her how he had collapsed in the TARDIS after a bout with his arch nemesis the Master. By the time he had finished, they were standing in the Brigadier's office with the Brigadier, Jo, Mike Yates, and Sergeant Benton staring at them. 

The Doctor explained what he knew about the creature in the forest, and why the Brigadier should hold off using force. Sarah knew she had gained a bit of perspective when Jo asked her a question, and she answered with unbiased enthusiasm.

Sarah stood back and watched the Doctor and Jo's enthusiastic chatter. She realized the Doctor had a point, whether she liked it or not. However, when he swung an arm around Jo and led her out of the Brigadier's office and down the hall towards Bessie, she knew she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of being right.

Not until she was wrong about his and Jo's relationship, at any rate.


End file.
